Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-19
Fx-Covernor William Smith.

II
name is not associated prominently
and honorabiy. We therefore give
only the principal data in his career,
leaving it for the Virginia political
historian TO build IN It's grand proportions
that monument to his memory which his
Influence In shaping the destinies OF the
Commonwealth entities him TO. We furnish
only few threads to AID in weaving the
chaplet Of cypress and laurel.leayes which
to-day Virginia. the mother be so loved
aud hOnored and served, would lay upon
his grave. Governor SMITH was born in
King George county, Va, September q,
1891. In 1911 he was sent to Plainied.
COIn., In order 10 commence an academic
career, but in December OF the following
year he was ordered home in consequence
OF his application to his father to get for
him warrant in the navy. For several
years he went 10 fine classical schools After
becoming well grounded in the classics he
began the study OF law, reading first with
| GREEN and WILLIAMS, OF Fredericksburg.
| then with T. ). MOORE, OF Warrent0n, and
finally with the elder General WINDER, OF
Baltimore. In August, 1918, when in his
twenty first year, he settled in the county
Of Culpcper and commenced the practice
| Of law. Culpeper was closely divided in
| politics, with The speaking talent, as a rule,
in the ranks Of the opposition party. Gov.
| erner SMITH was an ardent and devoted
| Democratic Republican. At that early age
he formulated what he caIIAl his political
| trinity, fiom which he never sweryed TO
the hour OF his death. That trinity
was "strct construction, frugality in
the pubic expenditures, and honesty
| in the public servant He was
soon called to take the stump, and his az
| gressiyeness and talents as a speaker almost
| Immediately raised him to the position OF
a leader. For eighteen years his voice was
beard in every canvass, but during all that
| time he never sought TO be candidate for
any Office 1t was along in this period II
| bis life that he undertook contracts for car.
rying the United States mails, which lnally
| led TO his S0ubriguet Of L" Extra Billy"
SMITH. This grew out Of his perfectly lie.
| ultimate demands for extra pay for ex.
ira services. In 1880, however, in the face
| OF his earnest protest he was nominated for
| the State Senate. He declined, but was re-
nominated, his acceptance demanded, and
| he was elected. He served out his term OF
four years, was again nominated, and after
serving one yeor of his second term re-
| signed. In 1S4I he was elected to Congress.
| His term expired in 1913, and having been,
under the congressional reappOrtl0nment
| based on the census Of 1910, thrown into
district hopelessly Wing, Governor SMITH
announced his retirement from politics and
moved 10 Warrenton for the purpose OF
| educating his children and resuming the
| prsctice OF law. But it was not destined
| that his political career should terminate
here. Virginia had other and higher hOnOrs
for him. His party had other battles for HIM
10 fight. There were other victories for him
| To win. In lS45 he was elected Governor OF
the State by the Legislature, his term COM
mencng January /, 1916. He served in
the eubernatorial office for three years. and
IN 1850 went to California, where, soon az
| ter his arrival, be was elected president Of
| the first Democratic convention ever held
in that State. In 1852 he returned to Vir-
gina, and in the year following was a can
didate for Congress, was elected, and served
four successive terms. When the war
broke out, although Governor SMITH was
sixty-four years OF age, he offered his ser.
vices to the State, and was commissioned
bv Governor LETCHER colonel Of the Forty
ninth regiment of Virginia vOlun.
teers. Governor SMITHS regiment was
known to every man In the Army
remarkable organizations in that army.
The old hero had no idea OF discipline and
less of military tactics, but Drawer com.
mander and drawer men never faced an
enemy. His "Come on, Forty-nlntb,'
has become historic. His leOnine courage
inspired both devotion and confidence,
and where the FOrty.ninth would not 90 no
other set OF men would dare go. The writer
once heard a member OF the Richmond
| Uowjtzers remark: 81 saw the Forty
ninth follow the old man into place
where ] did not think a mosquito could
| liye," Governor SMITH was elected from
camp a member OF the Confederate Con.
grtss, but stayed in that body only one ses-
sion. He as eager to get back TO the field.
He returned to his regiment in 1862, was
shortly thereafter made brigadier-gene-
raj, and subsequently promoted to major
generalship. He was severely wounded in
battle, and in 1868 was elected by the peo-
pie Of Virginia Governor Of the State.
which position be held when the flag Of the
Coniederacy went down in dan kness and
tears and despair at Appomattox. After
the war the Federal Government put
price upon Governor SMITHS head. He
| escaped to Danville. thence 10 Lexington,
and finally came TO the nelghborhOOd Of
| Richmond. Having remained in this vi
entity about two weeks he concluded,
as be remarked, that he would not
strain the virtue Of his fellow-cltiZens any
further, and rode into the city and gave
himself up. We believe, however, that
he was Immediately given his liberty, aud
that no action was taken against him by
the United States authorities, as indeed
there certainly ought not to hare been.
Since tho war he served one term in the
Legislature.
Governor SMITH was a man OF firm reli.
gious convictions, Of granite integrity, OF
courtly manner, and the most chiyalrous
instincts. lie gave to whatever cause he
espoused bis every energy. He was gene
rous foe, and his admiration for woman
amounted 10 worship. This latter was the
most beautiful Of his many splendid attri.
butes. Never was there time when the
word woman was powerless to bring from
bis lips some pune and reverential senti-
ment; never was there time when this
nineteenth-century knight would not have
risked bis life and broken lance for the
the humblest Of the weaker sex. He was
virginian Of Virgnians. To him his
mother State was all that was
|